Matthew Higgs
Matthew’s Report from Ardingly Hound Show 09
Matthew Higgs
The weather was pretty much perfect for the South of England beagle show, the first major fixture of the 2009 showing season.
Fourteen packs had entered hounds, though sadly neither the Wick and District nor the Hunsley Beacon made it on the day. Nor did the Blean, who this year celebrate the 100th anniversary of their formation as a gift to the master Mrs Beety Mckeever from her father when she was nine years old, and who remained for 90 years.
It was particularly good to see the Clinkard Meon Valley so soon after their long serving master Roy Clinkard’s passing. There was a minutes silence before judging got underway to honour his long association with the Show, firstly with the Aldershot and then with his own hounds.
John Fretwell, previously kennel-huntsman at the Stowe Beagles, and Lizzie Salmon Director of the AMHB, judged the doghounds setting the tone of the day. Both they and Patrick Till, owner of the Hunsley Beacon Beagles, and George Alder huntsman of the Britannia, who judged the bitches, were sharp and accurate in their decisions.
It was very nice to see both sets of judges running off the last four hounds in each class. If judging is all about selecting a conformation that ensures a hound’s ability to hunt economically and easily, it stands to reason movement must be the primary point by which decisions are made.
There were some very light framed hounds in the unentered dog class and most had some growing to do. The judges placed Brighton, Storrington, Surrey and North Sussex Wickstead first. He is by W Somerset Wizard ’99 who has been much used in the South recently. The heavier Eton College Viking was second with Dummer Rector shown by the Old Berkeley third and the slightly built Radley College Tango in reserve.
The entered dog class was a better one and the judges made the interesting decision to place BSSNS Proctor’06 first. By their Villain ’02, a striking dog who has issues with the measurers at some shows being a very upright 16inches, (the maximum height at which beagles can be shown at AMHB recognised shows) he was a small, heavy type.
Interestingly many of Villain’s offspring seem to be small like Proctor.
Ardingly '09 Winners - BSSNSB Proctor and Vatican
Described by the judges as a “real” beagle type the choice of Proctor is a good example of the dilemma faced by judges challenged to place “proper” beagles in showing classes. Proctor had a manifestly shorter stride than other hounds in the class and it could have been argued he should not have been placed above other more athletic hounds in the line up. On this occasion his balance and conformation were good and the placing was justified if debatable.
Proctor’s lighter framed kennel mate Vatican’08 was placed second and the red Old Berkeley Poacher ’07 third. Eton College Woodman’07 stood reserve.
The Bolebroke Challenge Cup was presented to the winning team by John Robson whose contribution to hunting in the South East is huge. As well as keenly supporting several other packs he has hunted with the Bolebroke for over 80 seasons.
The couples class was a strongly fought tussle between the black and tan entry from the BSSNS, and the red and white Old Berkeley entry. In the event the former’s Vatican ’08 and Plaintiff’07 triumphed over the Old Berkeley’s Poacher ’07 and Watchman ’07.
The veteran class for a hound to have completed six seasons was a strong one, and reinforced the perception during last year’s showing season that the older hounds were generally better than their younger kennel mates.
It was won by the evergreen Dummer Chaucer ’02, shown by the Park. He beat last year’s multiple champion Old Berkeley Famous ’02 into second place, with the Stour Valley’s entry (another Dummer bred hound) Torrent ’03 taking third, and the Palmer Milburn Porter’02 the reserve slot.
Old Berkeley winners Matchem and Mustard
The Old Berkeley’s entries had been well shown all morning by kennel-huntsman Mike Smith, who has returned to the Great Kimble kennels after several years in Northumberland with the College Valley.
His hard work was rewarded in the stallion hound class when OBB Mustard ’03 took the top slot with his kennel mate Matchem ’05 in second place. Both are sons of Musket’02, and Mustard is unusually chocolate and white in colour (though it is beginning to fade now!). They are both active substantial types. Dummer Torrrent was again in third place.
Before the doghound championship was judged, the School and College progeny class for the best bitch and a couple of unentered hounds was judged and easily won by Radley College Wallflower ’02 with Tackroom and Tango. The Wye, although not now a College pack, had been asked to enter this class and their young team were delighted with their second prize for Radiant ’04 with Dunster and Dapple. The Trinity Foot and South Herts Dummer Spindle ’00 with Folly and Blueprint were third, and the Eton College reserve.
Dummer Chaucer’02 did not come through to the Championship as he has won here before, so it became a two way fight between the BSSNS and the OBB. In the event the Old Berkeley’s Mustard and Matchem dominated the BSSNS’s smaller Proctor and they took the Champion and Reserve spots respectively to conclude an interesting morning.
From the ringside, the bitches in the afternoon appeared to be of a better standard to the doghounds, although the judges commented there were few really good hounds forward.
The Old Berkeley continued their pre-lunch success with a win in the unentered class with Marble, a daughter of Matchem,. Second was the Park’s Ascot, and third Eton College Content. The reserve slot was taken by the Trinity Foot and South Herts Folly. Their hounds were cheerfully shown by Laura Freeman who starts her final year vet studies at Cambridge next year.
The entered bitches was a strong class. The orange and white BSSNS Surrey and N Sussex Playful ’05 coming first after a tussle with the second placed Palmer Marlborough Damsel ’08, and in third paced Eton College Whitewash ‘07. Reserve was the much lighter Radley Colleges Taxi ‘08.
Going straight into the couples class she was joined by her sister Tangle’08, in a well matched pair to take the first place over the red and white sisters Posey and Polka ’07 from the Old Berkeley. Third were the Park’s black and white Ascot and Charity ’07. Reserve were the Clinkard Meon Valley’s Passion ‘05 and Promise ‘07 shown by Scott Glasspool for the first time.
Ardingly is one of the few shows to have a veteran bitch class and it was won by the BSSNS showing the Surrey and N Sussex Sapling ’03. Past champion Old Berkeley Muzzle ’01 was second, and another ex-champion again shown by the BSSNS was Blameless ’02 third.
The brood bitch class was the strongest of the afternoon, at least from outside the ring. It was a popular win for the Stour Valley Wagtail ’05 shown by father and son team Steve and James Batchelor. The Stour Valley are regular supporters of the Ardingly Show and their hounds are often there or thereabouts, without often achieving top honours, so this victory was particularly sweet for them.
Second was the BSSNS Surrey and N Sussex Caper ’06 and the Park’s blue mottle Garter ’05 was third, a sister of last year’s bitch champion Garland.
In the progeny class the Old Berkeley were first with Muzzle, Poacher and Posey; the Stour Valley Gaiety ’03, Grayling and Grappler ’08 were second, and the Eton College trio were third.
The bitch championship went to BSSNS Sapling ’03. A smart black and white hound she bounded across the ring and was a worthy champion. Stour Valley Wagtail ‘05 stood reserve to end a day dominated by the Brighton, Old Berkeley - who won the cup for the best overall performance - and Dummer, whose drafts are in many kennels and in their breeding.
Matthew Higgs